Great Western Railway has announced that engineering work to improve the reliability of the railway between Bristol Parkway and Didcot Parkway is being completed in February and March.
Network Rail will carry out track renewals and maintenance between Didcot Parkway, Swindon and Bristol Parkway on Saturday 29 February, and Sunday 1 March as well as Sunday 8 March.
Trains between London Paddington and Bath/Bristol Temple Meads, and between London Paddington and South Wales, will continue to operate via alternative routes and may extend journey times by 30 minutes.
A shuttle train service will also run between Bristol Temple Meads and Swindon and will call at Bath Spa and Chippenham. A shuttle service will also run between Cheltenham Spa and Swindon.
Coaches will operate between Reading and Swindon as well as between Didcot Parkway and Swindon.
Additionally, on Sunday 8 March, buses will also replace trains between Gloucester, Bristol Parkway and Bristol Temple Meads.
What did the officials say?
Great Western Railway Project Manager Steve Bale said:
“Thanks to the electrification programme we are now able to operate faster and more frequent services to and from London Paddington.
“This vital track upgrade work will ensure that we can operate more reliably and continue to deliver the performance we know our customers expect.”
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Responses
Will Network Rail electrify the Cherwell Valley Line from Didcot Parkway to Oxford and to allow Class 800, Class 802 and Class 387 to operate on electric power from London Paddington to Oxford with new bay platforms to be built for Class 387 EMUs to terminate at Oxford from London Paddington.
And Class 387 Electrostars to operate a stopper service from London Paddington to Oxford with stops between Paddington-Reading, Reading-Didcot Parkway and Didcot Parkway-Oxford (including Appleford, Culham and a new railway station to serve nearby Abingdon).